Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Apple reportedly working on a new iPad-like smart home display

By Jon Bitner Updated January 19, 2023

Apple recently announced a new HomePod with support for Matter, but it seems the company might have bigger smart home plans for the rest of 2023. According to the latest report from Bloomberg, Apple is allegedly working on an iPad-like device that could directly compete with Amazon’s Echo Show and Google’s Nest Hub Max.

Details on the rumored product are scarce, but it seems the device would feature a touchscreen and function similar to an iPad. Magnets would allow it to be mounted to a wall, and HomeKit would give it access to all your smart home products. It’s unclear at this time if the device would feature a stand, allowing it to sit on your countertops like the Echo Show and Nest Hub. What is clear, however, is that Apple wants to gain a stronger foothold in the smart home market — and this could serve as a great alternative to using the HomePod Mini as a HomeKit hub.

Apple HomePod second-gen. — Apple

Apple is also fully committed to Matter , the interoperability standard that will allow devices from Apple, Google, Amazon, and more to play nicely across ecosystems. It’s featured heavily in the new HomePod, and Matter is only expected to grow more relevant as the year progresses. And if Apple is truly invested in Matter, and the smart home market as a whole, it makes sense to launch a first-party smart display.

It’s unknown when (or if) we’ll hear more about the rumored device. Stay tuned for details as Apple continues to reveal its plans for 2023.

Topics

Jon Bitner is a writer covering consumer electronics, technology, and gaming. His work has been published on various websites…

Smart Home

Apple finally activates HomePod Mini’s hidden temperature/humidity sensor

Black HomePod mini on a side table, in front of an Apple TV

Apple recently revealed its second-gen HomePod, which is set to become the company’s flagship smart speaker in 2023. Featuring the S7 chipset, spatial audio, Matter compatibility, and tons of fancy room-sensing tech, the device is certain to be a hit when it launches in February. It’ll also feature a temperature and humidity sensor. Oddly enough, so does the existing HomePod Mini -- except Apple has only just activated the feature.

Apple has kept the temperature and humidity sensor deactivated for years, although now, with the launch of a new HomePod around the corner, the company has finally gone ahead and turned on the instrument in its existing Home Mini lineup. Once your HomePod Mini receives the update, you’ll be able to use it to track both the temperature and humidity in your home, then use that information to create various automations through Apple Home.

Smart Home

HomePod Mini vs. Echo Dot: which is better?

Apple HomePod mini on table

The Apple HomePod Mini and Echo Dot are two of the best smart speakers of 2023. Both clock in at less than $100, offer eye-catching designs, and give you all the versatility you’d expect from top-of-the-line smart speakers. But which speaker is more deserving of a spot in your home?

Before picking up the HomePod Mini or Echo Dot, you’ll want to do a bit of research. It's hard to go wrong with either product, but one might be a slightly better fit for your household. From pricing and compatibility to sound quality and more, here’s everything you need to know about these two smart speakers.
Design

Smart Home

Apple’s Home app redesign is just what HomeKit needs

Apple HomeKit ecosystem

One of the biggest announcements of WWDC 2022 is that the Apple Home app is getting a much-needed ground-up redesign.

The new app changes how you navigate through the app and organize accessories, but the most important change is that you can now see your entire home from a single view. There's no more jumping between menus to check things -- you can view every connected device, including multiple camera views, from within a single page.